Automatic fluid pressure displacement pump



Aug. 23, 1932. c. B. PENDLETON AUTOMATIC FLUID PRESSURE DISPLACEMENT PUM P INVENTOK. 5 v5. fisndlatm;

ATTORNEYS.

Filed Feb. 2. 1931 Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES B. PENDLETON, OF LOS ANGELESZ, CALIFORNIA, ASSIG-NOR '10 CITIZENS NATIONAL TRUST & SAVINGS BANK, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA; A NATIONAL BANKING ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 'AUTOMATIC FLUID PRESSURE DISPLACEMENT PUMP Application filed February 2, 1931. Serial No. 512,887.

This invention relates to means for elevating fluids. In my application for United States Letters Patent filed October 30, 1929, Serial No. 403,429, for means of elevating fluids, I have described a particular type of pump, of which the present invention is an improvement in certain aspects.

Pumps of the character described in said application function under ordinary cirlc cumstances in a very eflicient manner but sometimes the pump at the bottom of the well sticks with the result that the pump will not operate efficiently and, in fact, will entirely stop operation. Unless an operator is present at the time that the pump ceases operation, the pump may remain idle in the well hole over a considerable period of time.

The present invention has for an object the provision of means whereby continuous operation of a pump of the character set forth in my copending application above referred to, is assured.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a pump incorporating all of the objects set forth in the copending application referred to.

Other objects include a pump which is simple of construction, inexpensive in cost of manufacture, and which produces superior results. a

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction, association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as set forth in the accompanying specification, shown in the drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view vof a pump embodying the invention, the foot valve being in one position,- and,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, the foot valve being in a second position.

' the foot valve.

As a brief summary of the invention, it

may be said that I provide what is known as or to close entrance of oil therein. Directly connected with the foot valve is a piston controlling entrance of gas under pressure within the expansion chamber, the arrangement being such that when the foot valve is open or raised from its seat the gas valve, which would be the piston associated with the foot valve, is closed; and when the foot valve is closed to its seat, the gas valve is open. The

cage that surrounds the footvalve and the gas valve are thought to be novel, in that a portion of the gas under pressure is capable of passing through the gas valve to a zone surrounding the top of the foot valve. The presence of gas around the foot valve despite the normal closing of the gas valve, is such as to blow a bubble and force oil from above To this end, ports are provided at a portion of the cage through which oil and a portion of the gas may escape. Thus, when the foot valve moves upwardly to allow oil to enter the expansion chamber, gas will constantly keep above the foot valve, to the end that if any deleterious substance should in any manner get within the gas valve, to-wit, between the piston and its cylinder, to hold it against movement, gas pressure is gradually built up against the top surface of the foot valve suflicient to force the foot valve downwardly and thus assure that the pump will at all times operate. By way of brief explanation, it may be said that a separate line is provided for causing gas under pressure to be directed into the expansion chamber, and that a separate tubing is 7 used through which the oil is raised. The oil enters the expansion chamber when the foot valve is open and the gas valve closed and the oil will enter the tubing provided known as its static level, whereupon the foot valve is adapted to close under influence of gravity under normal conditions. Gas then enters the expansion chamber to provide a gassludge or piston for the purpose of'lifting the oil (without emulsifying it) beyond its static level. After the oil has been lifted, the foot valve opens and the gas valve closes until more oil has entered the expansion chamber and reached its static level within the tubing, whereupon the sequence of opera tion is repeated. Almost all oil contains grit, such as sand and the like, and this grit if it contacts with the surface of the gas valve, is liable to stop operation of the valve. Hence, I have provided a petticoat type of cage surrounding the gas valve and ports that communicate therewith. Normally, gas will pass through these ports in suflicient amount to blow a bubble and which bubble will prevent oil from entering the petticoat and thus prevent sand from contacting with the gas valve. However, even this precaution is not fool-proof. Consequently, by providing a seepage of gas past the gas valve and above the foot valve, I have provided a method whereby sticking of the gas valve is efiiciently overcome in the manner just stated.

Referring with particularity to the drawing, I have shown a casing 1 which leads to the surface of the well hole and which casing communicates with a source of gas under pressure. In certain aspects of the invention, this casing may likewise communicate with a source of liquid, such as oil, to be used in priming the pump. This casing will extend downwardly within the well hole adjacent the oil sands as is usual practice. At 2, I have shown tubing, and packing 3 of some form is interposed between the casing 1 and said tub-' ing. It is intended that oil from the oil sands should pass through the tubing 2. This tubing in turn is directly associated with a coupling 4' ordinarily known as a reducer coupling. The portion of largest diameter of said coupling lies above the packing 3 and is adapted to be secured to a casing 5 forming an element of the expansion chamber member. It may be said that this casing has ends of reduced diameter, as shown at 6 and 7, in the present instance, the end 6 being'screwthreaded to the coupling 4 and the end 7 screw-threaded to coupling 8. The coupling 8 is provided with a central internal gas inlet line 9 having branches 10 and 11 communicating exteriorly of the said coupling. Furthermore, the said coupling 8 is externally screw-threaded at 12 and shouldered at 13, whereby the end of a screen 14 may be secured thereto. This screen may extend upwardly for agiven distance within the casing 1 and then bent inwardly for engagement with the periphery of tubin (not shown) and secured to the coupling an communicating with the interior of the coupling and particularly that portion marked 15. In other words, the tubing communicates with the interior of the expansion chamber member, to-wit, the interior of the casing 5. The fluid pressure displacement pum includes as its elements, taken generally and as a group, a gas inlet valve 16, a liquid inlet valve, also termed foot valve, 17, and the displacement chamber heretofore referred to. This displacement chamber, as stated, includes the casing 5 and that area within the casing surrounding the gas inlet valve and the foot valve or liquid inlet valve.

The gas inlet valve includes a cylinder or housing 18 externally screw-threaded at 19 for threaded engagement with threads 20 of the central internal gas inlet line 9. This cylinder is externally shouldered at 21 and the cylinder is transversely bored to provide ports 22 below the shouldered portion.

Adapted to be carried on said shoulder and to a spacedly surround the cylinder at the zone of the ports and beyond said ports is an annular skirting 23. This construction provides an annular space 24 between the periphery of a portion of the cylinder or housing and the interior of the skirting, and which space is in direct communication with the interior of the expansion chamber member and with said ports 22. Forming a further element of the gas inlet valve is a piston valve 25 adapted for reciprocation within the cylinder or housing 18. It is perhaps superfluous to state that the cylinder would include the cylindrical bore 26, which the piston moves. This piston includes the so-called piston head 27 and stem 28 secured to the head. The head has a reduced diameter extension 29 and this extension is formed with a transverse port 30 and the piston head is formed with a longitudinal bore 31 communicating with the transverse port 30. One or more'bores 32 34. This'cage, in the present instance, integrally connected with the cylinder or housing 18. The size of the cage will of necessity depend upon the size of the foot valve and, in the present instance, the cage has an enlarged internal and external diameter relative to the size of the cylinder 18.

' The cage is screw-threaded at 35 for engagement with aseat member 36. This seat member is formed withan. external annular flange 37. An annular locking nut 38 is secured to internal threads 39 of the expansion.

chamber casing 5, and this locking nut is adapted to bear against annular packing 40 lying between the flange 37 and a portion of the periphery of the seat member 36. The construction is such that any liquid passing through the pump tubing 2 will be received within the reducer coupling 4 and must pass upwardly through'the annular nut, the annular seat and into the cage. This cage is formed with one or more transverse ports or openings 41 and these openings are above the normal position assumed by the seat member when screw-threaded to the cage. The crown 42 of. thecage'is formed with a central depending boss 43, and said crown is likewise provided with 'a central bore 44. This bore communicates between the interior of the cage and the bore 26 of. the cylinder. Adjacent the inner surface of the crown and transversely within the side wall of the cage, are one or more ports 45. These ports are positioned above the plane of the end of the boss 43. The end 46 of the boss is likewise "with a conical-shaped head 49 and with a flange 50 extending beyond the periphery of the portion 51 of the body. The top surface of the body is formed with an annular depression or concavity surrounding the stem 28, as shown at 52. The bore 44 through the crown of the cage has a slight tolerance, that is to say, is slightly greater as to diameter than the diameter of the stem 28.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention are as follows:

While I have set forth at the beginning of this specification a brief statement of the operation and function to be performed by my said invention, I may add additional remarks. The pump may have to be primed by directing a liquid downwardly within the casing 1, and which liquid would pass through the screen 14 and into the ducts -10 and 11 against the piston. If the foot valve is closed against its seat, as shown in Figure 2, this fluid would in turn passthrough the ports. 22 of the cylinder and outwardly through thev annular space 24 between the periphery of the cylinder and the skirt 22, and into the expansion chamber, thence upwardly to the surface of the well, it being remembered that the portion 15 of the couling communicates with pump tubing.

)rd1-;na

rily, the pump is immersed in the oil within the well hole, to the end that the oil would rise or normally be within the pump tubing up to a certain distance, to-wit, its static level. The precise depth to which this oil ordinarily rises within the pump tubing would be determined by the engineer. Quite obviously, after thepump has been primed and seat, at which time further flow of oil upwardly from the pump tubing 2 into the cage is stopped. The piston 25 then is moved so as to open communication from the cylinder through the ports 22 into the expansion chamber. The gas will expand until a sufficient amount hasbeen received therein to act as a gas sludge and lift the oil thereabove, whereupon after the pressures begin to equalize, the foot valve will automatically open and gas flow will be stopped by the piston moving upwardly and closing the ports 22.

and further oil will enter through the tubing 22 through the ports 41 of the cage, into the expansion chamber, and upwardly within tubing connected with portion 15 of the coupling until said oil reaches its static level, whereupon the sequence of operation will be repeated.

As stated,'almost all oil contains some grit,

such as sand, and often this sand or grit will be received within the cylinder, with the result that the piston will be wedged against movement within the cylinder. If this occurs, the pump will, of course, cease to oper ate or, at best, only operate intermittently when the grit is dislodged. An object of this invention is to overcome any interference with the proper working of the foot valve and the gas intake valve. It will be noted that ports are provided in the piston, as

shown at 30, 31 and 32. Therefore, a portion of the gas directed downwardly between the casing 1 and the pump tubing and passed through the screen will likewise be received behind thepiston. This gas will also pass between the stem 28 and the bore 44. As the top surface of the foot valve is formed with a slight concavity or depression'52. the gas may be received in said concavity. Thus, the gas may pass through the surface groove 46 into the space included between the crown and.

the top surface of the foot valve. Ordinarily there would be a tight fit between the top surface of the foot valve and the face of the boss, but this construction will permit escapage of gas between said surfaces. ThlS gas will be received within, as stated, the space included between the top surface of the foot valve and the interior of the crown. Also, the gas may escape throughthe ports 45 l3efore stating further the operation; and

a I I) I assuming that the pump is operating properly, the ports 30, 31 and 32 of the piston allow for escapage of gas behind the piston when the piston moves downwardly within the cylinder and the foot valve closes to its seat. Therefore, these ports act to perform a dual function. There is a difference in area between the piston and the foot valve, Thus,'under normal circumstances, the foot valve, will be raised by the incoming oil which is seeking its static level and against gas pressure. static level, and assuming that grit may have been received between the cylinder and piston, the piston tends to stick and the foot valve to remain either entirely open or partly open. The gas, however, will move downwardly through the ports in the piston between the stem and the bore 44 and upwardly through the concavity and surface groove I in the foot valve and boss, respectively, and be received in the space between the foot valve and the crown. This gas will exert a pressure against any fluid that is received within the crown and particularly in the space just mentioned, with the result that the oil will be forced downwardly from above the foot valve. Hence, a gas pressure is exerted at this zone and this gas pressure will gradually build up to such an extent that the pressure-of the oil against the foot valve is overcome and likewise the piston is moved irrespective of what may normally be holding it against movement within its cylinder. In other words, what may be termed blowing a bubble actually occurs. This bubble is, of course, a gas bubble against the oil. In actual practice, this bubble is at all times being blown for the reason that as ;will be passing into the s ace included etween the top of the foot va ve and the crown. It is truethat the amount of gas escaping at this zone is relatively small but it is sufiicient for the purpose intended.

The function of the petticoat has been described in my copending application referred to.

It will be noted that the bore of the cylinder is enlarged at 53. This provided a slight expansion chamber and furthermore a s ace within which grit may be received wit out necessarily blocking operation of the iston.

d its If the oil has reached its the top of the foot valve, the principle of the invention being to permit of reception of gas in small amounts above the foot valve for the purpose of forcing the foot valve downwardly in case the piston should stick.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications and variations may be resorted to in departure from the articular showing of the drawing without diaparting from the true s irit thereof.

I c aim: 1. In a device of the character disclosed, an expansion chamber member, a gas valve and a foot valve for controlling liquid" passage inter-connected for joint operation, a

cage for the foot valve, means for admitting" gas into the expansion chamber when the gas.

valve is opened, the foot valve closing en- 7 trance into the e ansion chamber, and means whereby gas 15 at all times directed above said foot valve.

2. In a device of the character disclosed, a foot valve, a cage therefor, said foot valve normally controlling entrance of liquid with.- in said cage, and means for directing a gas between the foot valve and the cage.

3. In a device of the character disclosed, a.

cage, a foot valve adapted for movementwithin said cafge and to control entrance and exit into and rom said cage of a liquid, and

means for directin agas between the foot;

valve and the top 0 the cage to thereby exert aagas pressure at all times against the foot v ve.

4. In a device of the character disclosed, a valve, ,a .cage therefor valve controllin the entrance and exit of a liquid into an gas to a zone included between the valve and the cage, to thereby exert a gas pressure against said .valve and normally urge it to seat; anexpansion chamber member surro g the cage and communicating thereings throu h which said gas may the expansion chamber member.

'5. In a device of the character disclosed, a gas valve, a foot valve, a stem between said pass into valves, a cage within which saidfoot valve is adapted to move said foot valve controlling entrance of a liquid therein; a cylinder for said gas valve, and means fordirecting a gas to saidgas valve, said gas valve being provided a byass rtand whereby gas may pass throug sai gas valve into a zone'above the foot valve, said'cage bemg' formed to allow a gradual escape 0 gas bebuild u a gas pressure against the foot valve, in com ination with an expansion chamber member surrounding the cage and cylinder,

from said cage, and meansfor directing a p with, said cage being formed with port opentween the foot valve and the cage and thereby and within, which liquid is received when the foot valve is opened, the gas valve being closed, and within which expansion chamber member gas is directly'admitted when foot valve is closed, the gas valve bein open.

6. In a device of the character disc osed, a valve, a cage therefor, said valve controlling entrance and exit of a liquid into and from said cage, and means for directing a gas to a zone included between the valve and the cage to thereby exert a gas pressure against said valve to at all times urge it to seat.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name tothis specification at Los Angeles, California, this 17th day of January, 1931.

CHARLES B. PENDLETON. 

